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Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) >
Siluriformes
(Catfish) >
Clariidae
(Airbreathing catfishes)
Etymology:
Clarias:
Greek, chlaros = lively, in reference to the ability of the fish to live for a long time out of water
.

Biology
Glossary
(e.g. epibenthic)

Adults inhabit lowland streams (Ref.
57235
), swamps, ponds, ditches, rice paddies, and pools left in low spots after rivers have been in flood (Ref.
2854
,
57235
). Usually confined to stagnant, muddy water (Ref.
1479
). Found in medium to large-sized rivers, flooded fields and stagnant water bodies including sluggish flowing canals (Ref.
12975
). Undertake lateral migrations from the Mekong mainstream, or other permanent water bodies, to flooded areas during the flood season and returns to the permanent water bodies at the onset of the dry season (Ref.
37770
). Can live out of water for quite sometime and move short distances over land (Ref.
4833
). Can walk and leave the water to migrate to other water bodies using its auxiliary breathing organs. The Lao use this fish as lap pa or ponne pa. Feed on insect larvae, earthworms, shells, shrimps, small fish, aquatic plants and debris (Ref.
6459
). An important food fish (Ref.
4833
) that is marketed live, fresh and frozen (Ref.
9987
). Recently rare, being replaced by introduced African walking catfish (Ref.
57235
).

The pair manifests the 'spawning embrace' which is widely observed in other catfish species (Ref.
33313
). The pair gently nudge each other in the genital region and flick their dorsal fins; male wraps his body around the female, then the female releases a stream of adhesive eggs into the nest (Ref.
44091
). In southeast Asia, spawning period is during the rainy season, when rivers rise and fish are able to excavate nests in submerged mud banks and dikes of flooded rice fields (Ref.
40977
).